Massachusetts uses a uniform citation for all motor vehicle traffic law violations.

The four types of a citation are:
  1. Civil Infraction, used for civil (non-criminal) citations
  2. Criminal Application, used for criminal citations
  3. A citation used for an Arrest
  4. A citation used as a Warning

The police officer will have checked one of the boxes on the front of the citation (see item 1):
  • If the "All Civil Infractions" box is checked, use Instruction A on the back of the citation (pay or appeal a civil citation).
  • If the "Criminal Application" box is checked, use Instruction B on the back of the citation (respond to a criminal citation).
  • If the "Arrest" box is checked, use Instruction B on the back of the citation.
  • If the "Warning" box is checked, no action is required on your part.

Sample citation (front page)

1 - The police officer will check one of these boxes to indicate the type of citation.
2 - This box is checked to indicate if the violator is the operator or the owner of the vehicle or a passenger or bicyclist.
3 - If this is a civil (non-criminal) citation, the police officer will write the total due in this box.
4 - If the citation relates to a crash, the police officer will check this box.
5 - The police officer will write the address of the district court in this box.
6 - The court code is written in this box.
7 - You may be asked by the police officer at the time of the violation to sign the citation.